


Awakening

by ChampIro123



Series: Three Druids, Two Souls, One Form of Magic [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Druid Shiro, Druids, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Magic, Multi, Not, Post-Season/Series 02, Quintessence, The Author Regrets Nothing, This was just an experiment, Tumblr Theories, background klance, that went to hell
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-05 09:49:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10303913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChampIro123/pseuds/ChampIro123
Summary: Within her grasp once again, Haggar captures Shiro after the final battle with Zarkon. She plans to make him the Druid weapon she planned him to be.Meanwhile, Team Voltron search for their leader, and they are sure as hell that they aren’t letting some Galra named Lotor get in their way.





	1. Prologue: The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story so please, no hate in the comments. The story started as a one-shot and then started as a story with many chapters
> 
> This story is inspired by the Druid Shiro theories on http://smolsarcasticraspberry.tumblr.com/. I recommend you read the theories before you read the story.
> 
> I will update every one to two days if possible but school can suck sometimes, you know?

The Galra found him in the vast vacuum of space in front of, what once was, Zarkon’s ship. After the battle, the Emperor was ripped from reality into a deep coma that even Haggar couldn’t find a cure for. He was considered dead many times, his quintessence weak from the battle against the new paladins. Haggar’s rage boiled within her willing to erupt on any person standing in her way, especially the new black paladin.

Who was once her favourite experiment. 

And will be once again.

Champion was one of her most successful and favored pet projects. She saw his potential in the gladiator area. His tactics and style of fighting trumped the big bad blood-thirsty gladiator monsters. Most gladiators had a bloodlust that was hungry and unfocused.  
Full of want and more.

His, however, was crisp. Balanced. Intelligent.

Due to his ancestry being connected to Altean blood, Haggar saw a new Galra Empire asset in him. 

A new Druid. 

A new weapon. 

Haggar was surprised to find a Druid within her grasp when he was first exposed to quintessence, turning the forelock of his ink black hair to snow white within seconds. She observed that he was oblivious to the power within him, calling to be released, sealed by the countless generations of human ancestry. 

Of human blood. 

She removed his arm and replaced it with a prosthetic. A device that would activate his Druid abilities for him, against his will if necessary. She trusted one of her scientists to do further testing on Champion for her. However, the scientist vanished and helped her experiment escape.

She was furious.

She faced him when they arrived on their rescue mission for the Altean Princess. She scarred his flesh at his waist, the rage of his escape clouding her actions when she relished in revenge. After she used her abilities to corrupt the wormhole, she was convinced that Champion was gone for good due to his new would she inflicted onto him. 

He survived. 

Even better.

She understood that Zarkon’s ambition was to claim the Black Lion for his own once more, but his clouded mind and judgement caused his damnation. She was surprised that the Altean princess harbored her abilities and used it against her. Haggar was forced to flee for her own survival. How dare the princess use her powers against her! The princess was a Druid liability. The princess had to be finished.

Permanently. 

Once Voltron fled Haggar noticed that they left without their Black Paladin, who was now floating unconsciously in space. His helmet was covering his whole face; he was alive for all she knew. So Haggar took her chance and captured his unconscious body, transporting him to one of the cells on the central command ship.  
She is going to make the weapon out of him. Teach him the ways of commanding quintessence to his will. She will make him the weapon she planned him to be.

This time. 

She wasn't going to fail.


	2. Champion Returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro wakes up to the devastating truth, by the person he least expected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY! I decided to update Chapter Two because I'm in a good mood ;)
> 
> Italics are Shiro's thoughts  
> Bold and Italics is quintessence (*chuckles evilly*)

Shiro felt the cold floor beneath him, sending disconcerting jolts to his spine. His eyes flutter open, slowly gaining consciousness. Words could hardly register as his throbbing head was starting to annoy him.

 _Where am I? What happened? What happened to the team?_ \- Shiro jolted awake as memories raced within his mind.

Zarkon’s robot armor.

Phasing through the astral plane.

Claiming the Black Bayard.

Forming Voltron.

The blazing sword.

Bright flashes of neon purple light.

Then--

Nothingness.

“You’re finally awake, Champion”

_Champion?…Oh no!_

It was then that Shiro noticed his surroundings. It was then that Shiro noticed that he wasn’t alone. It was then that Shiro noticed that he was in a prison cell.

A Galra one.

He was captured by the Galra, again.

The floor was hard, illuminated by the fluorescent purple lights that decorated the cell that was containing him. His arms latched to handcuffs and strong thick chains that attached him to the wall of the cell. He looked at the figure that was standing in front of him and scowled. It was the same figure who caused him so much pain, so much torment, so many nightmares. He could recognize that voice anywhere. Old, husk-like and sinister.

Haggar.

He growled lowly with his chest as he turned on his arm, igniting into flashes of purple energy ready to strike at the laughing Druid in front of him. Haggar just watched in amusement as he broke the chains and ran towards her. She teleported herself away from his attacking fist to rematerialize behind him. Sending him towards the opposite wall as her ball of electrifying energy made contact with the paladin’s back. The armor took most of the damage but his back was throbbing with pain.

He needed to escape.

“What do you want from me?!” Shiro roared at her as he collected himself and struck him again, going for the round-house kick to knock the witch down. That too, was deflected as he found himself on the floor again. Pain was stinging against his spine as he fell multiple times trying to get Haggar. He finally got a punch in as his Galra fist hit her jaw, forcing her to reel back and laugh in satisfaction as she finally got him to stay on the ground, blood leaving his mouth as he was on all fours.

“You may be in more focus in your power, but I have centuries of experience. Your petty attacks will never truly hurt me Champion”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!”

Shiro leapt towards her, his eyed full of rage and desperation. He caught her arm and his left elbow made contact with her cheek. Shiro felt satisfied as he believed he heard a snap. Haggar snarled and stopped him like she did with Allura, reeling him stuck in the air, levitating as he couldn’t move no matter how hard he tried. He was stuck in the air for seconds.

Then she slammed him into the ground.

Hard.

“You have nothing to gain from me. Your Empire is finished! Zarkon is finished!” Shiro panted as he was struggling to push himself up to continue fighting.

He refused to give up.

Not now, nor never.

Haggar just cackled as she pushed him down again, electrocuting him until his body didn’t want to move anymore, he could only look and get his oxygen back as he watched the sinister figure standing in front of him.

“You think the Empire is truly finished? Ha! An Empire can build back up again when it’s been toppled by its enemies. The Galra Empire will live no matter how much you wish for its destruction. You think the Empire is just a foundation across the galaxies? The Empire is grown through fear and its people. People who kill without mercy or sentiment are Galra. Monsters are Galra.” Haggar looked up to Shiro’s storm-grey eyes and smiled.

“Monsters like you”.

Shiro was boiling with rage.

_She was the one who watched me fight in the area where it was kill or be killed. She was the one to see if I would survive the prosthetic implant. She was the one who wounded me so badly that I almost died. I’m not a monster._

_I am a survivor, a paladin of Voltron! If anyone in this room was the monster, it’s Haggar._

Haggar just laughed, not making the prickling sense of the eerie atmosphere any more comforting.

“Your thoughts are amusing Champion. Just because you cannot remember anything, doesn’t mean you are what you think. We made you into a warrior, a beast who claim’s his enemy’s blood and break their bones without hesitation. Without sentiment. You think you are just a survivor. You only survived because you are Galra. A monster. A champion. A Druid”

_How dare you-wait, did she say Druid?_

“Yes, I did Champion. I was surprised to find Altean blood surging through your veins” Haggar knew she has his attention, for his eyes were wide in shock.

Haggar knew she caught him.

She smirked in sinister satisfaction.

_I have Altean blood? I’m part Altean? Part Druid? No. NO! She’s bluffing, she’s talking half-truths. She’s a liar!_

Haggar just laughed again as she starting speaking to him again in a cold voice, coder than usual.

“I may lie to my enemies, but not to you. Do I have anything to gain from this?”

“N-no”

“Precisely. You are part Altean, a Druid even. Many centuries ago, a capable and powerful Altean warrior were scattered with each of the lions as protection. I guess that the Altean who arrived on Earth with the Blue Lion interlaced with a human. With each generation, the Altean blood would be thinned by the blood of humans, the weaker blood.”

Haggar looked to the paladin who was still on the hard floor, making sure he was paying attention to every detail of her story. She held him down and grabbed some hairs from his snow white forelock as she intertwined her fingers between them.

“You bare the Druid mark. A strong and powerful one. I can teach you the ways of commanding quintessence to your will. You would be stronger than that Altean princess of yours”

“NO! I will never go against the Princess and the Paladins. Nor to Coran or the Voltron Alliance. You can’t make me!”

Haggar just boomed laughing as her golden eyes stare into his, looking at him as if eyes could kill.

“Oh, but I can.” Haggar summoned a ball of dark quintessence and struck him with it. Shiro could feel the electricity burning through him. He wished for it to go away, to leave him be. He heard whispers in his head.

_**This is what you are born to do. This is what you are supposed to do. You can control us, you can use us to your own will and we will obey. Use us to help you fight. Make your presence known. USE US!** _

Shiro, on instinct, reached his left, flesh and bone, hand and blue-purple lightning surged from his fingers towards Haggar, electrocuting her by surprise. They both take a moment to collect themselves and the witch laughed.

“You are truly something special Champion” Shiro was still and wasn’t moving. He did have Altean blood. He was part Altean. He was a Druid.

She didn’t lie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooohhhhhh, hear that? That's the sound of my inner villain in happiness ;)


	3. Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Black Lion's cockpit empty, Team Voltron spend time alone after the loss of their dear leader and friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is where the Paladins come in! But not all is happy :(

They all ran with desperation towards the unmoving Black Lion. Keith felt on the verge of crying if something happened to Shiro. Just the thought of him made him shout his name as he ran, fire burning in his aching legs.

“Shiro!”

They reached the Black Lion and its jaw opened to its own accord, letting the paladins and Alteans inside the cockpit.

Which was void of Shiro.

It was empty.

“He’s gone” Lance’s voice trembled, his thoughts known to the rest of the group as they stared into the empty chair, willing for him to show up. Shiro was gone, and they all were heartbroken to a great extent. They lost their leader.

They lost their friend.

“We have to find him” said Allura. Her regal posture diminished, for she was running down the ramp to the Castle’s navigation system, closely followed by Coran, Keith, Hunk, Lance and Pidge. They ran to the command center, where Kolavan and Slav were waiting.

“Where is Shi-” 

“Paladins, fire up the navigation protocols. We have to go back”

“Protocols online!” said Coran as he started up the system. Kolavan was confused for a moment. Their fast running paces, their worried faces and the fact that they interrupted him gave him all the information he needed. 

Shiro wasn’t here.

He’s missing.

“We’re ready to wormhole” Coran informed as Allura focused her energy to the Castleship’s teladuv. She focused on her energy, transferring it to the mechanics of the teladuv, starting it up. A blue wormhole appeared in front of them, the ship flying into it as it closed close behind them. As soon as they were out, they were faced with millions of active Galra battle ships.

“Great. A Galra welcome party” Lance sarcastically commented as the particle barrier was activated, giving the room a faint blue glow in the screens. The paladins fired up their defense drones to attack the Galra fighters, as well as the Castle firing shots itself. The navigation system had a lock on active Paladin suit signatures. It searched and searched Zarkon’s ship as they flew around it. What popped up shocked them deeply as the system’s collected data results showed up.

Nothing...

Absolutely nothing.

“No…” Hunk said faintly, his voice breaking as he was on the verge of crying.

“Try again” the Princess commanded, “He HAS to be here”.

They ran the program again. 

And again. 

And again.

And again. 

However, the results from the system were still the same. 

Nothing.

Battle fleets were starting to swarm the area, firing their ion cannons at the Castleship. Red blaring lights and loud sirens meant one thing: the particle barrier was taking significant damage. There was no use, they either fleet to safety to search again, or risk their lives trying to find him.

“The Castle is taking too much damage. We have to go” Coran yelled, a lump forming in everyone’s throat. Kolavan, however, stayed stone-faced through the whole ideal, agreeing with Coran to leave.

“It’s either retreat to fight for another day, or die trying to find Shiro. We need to leave the area now!” 

Turning her head down in sadness and regret, Allura was hesitant but she forced the castle to turn and wormhole away from the fleet. They all felt their hearts ache from leaving. They had to have hope, Shiro still had to be alive.

Was he still alive?

As soon as they flew to safety, the paladins slouched in their chairs, tears forming in all their eyes. Allura fought against her urge to cry along with them. Coran could feel their despair as a tear trickled down his face as well. 

They lost Shiro. They left him behind.

Shiro was gone.

“Are you sure the diagnostics say he’s missing?” Keith asked, him starting to feel mad (sad? Sad mad? Smad?) for the loss of Shiro. Coran and Pidge both gave him trembling hesitant nods. Anger boiled within Keith, Shiro was supposed to still be here.

HE was supposed to BE HERE, with ALL OF THEM!

Keith stormed out of the room and stomped to his room in a sad / angry attitude, expressive on his whole body.

“We should all go be alone for a while. Obviously this has taken a toll on all of us” Allura stated, her own voice breaking as her jaw trembled. She had to stay strong, for all of them.

Like Shiro would. It would be what he wanted.

They steadily headed to their quarters, closing themselves in as they walked away from the control room. Allura kept her regal composure as she faced Coran, Kolavan and Slav, “Watch the surveillance. I just need a minute”.

With that, she left.

As soon as she arrived in her room and locked her door, tears flooded her vision as she cried heavily as she ran to her bed. As soon as she started, she couldn’t stop. Allura cried in her pillow, her emotional wall crumbling down fast. She couldn’t believe it, this had to be a dream. 

She even wished for this to be nightmare. That she would wake up soon and find everyone here.

Everyone. 

However, she didn’t wake. 

This nightmare wasn’t real. 

This is reality.

And she couldn’t escape from it. She couldn’t find refuge, no matter how hard she wished, how hard she begged for this to be fake. She even pleaded for this to be one of Haggar’s mind games, but the witch’s cold presence was absent. Everyone in the castle was grieving from the loss of Shiro. Allura was crying on her bed, tears never-ending. 

Hunk couldn’t even cook to help his conscience settle, tears trickled down his face as he was at the kitchen. The ingredients were on the table, ready to be used. But Hunk couldn’t even dare to touch them. He leaned on the edge of the table, looking for the comfort that Shiro gave him when they would have conversations when Hunk was troubled.

Pidge had curled into a ball at the Green Lion’s hanger, nursed in the paws of the lion herself. Her machines and consoles beeping as they were running an algorithm, looking for Shiro’s life signature. She had yet to see results, for the algorithm only finished when Shiro was found. There was no indication of success.

Lance couldn’t handle the isolation of being alone, and neither could Keith. They were both embraced at the side of Keith’s bed. Lance was the first to cry, Keith struggling to keep his wall up, to keep himself from crying. Lance couldn’t blame him, Keith lost the only family he had for a long time. Keith had to go a year without Shiro, the world convinced that the pilot was dead.

“I know you miss him” Lance’s voice held strong, despite the devastating situation they were all had trouble facing. 

“We all do. I know you want to be strong bottling up the situation. But holding in your troubles and emotions is not true strength. True strength resides in letting your emotions show and you speak openly about them.”

And with that, Keith’s wall fell down in an instant, tears starting to show themselves very quickly. Lance cuddled Keith tighter, the red paladin was a mess. Keith couldn’t believe it. 

His friend. 

His mentor. 

His leader. 

His friend. 

His brother. 

Was gone...

Everyone on the ship was crying, and no one could blame them, not even Kolavan. For they were all regretting to let go of someone they lost:

Allura was heartbroken due to the loss of a friend she had deep feelings for.

Hunk’s heart broke due to the loss of a rock he could rely on for his troubles.

Pidge couldn’t handle her heartbreak of the loss of a family friend, the connection between her and the rest of her missing biological family.

Lance grieved with Keith, as Keith grieved with Lance. 

Lance was heartbroken due to the loss of his hero, his friend, his awesome leader.

Keith was heartbroken for the loss of his friend, brother and his family. 

Heartbroken because he has lost him -

Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, it will get better soon!


	4. When Reality Settles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since Haggar doesn't put Shiro under her wing - as a mental torture method - , he struggles to discover this other side of him.
> 
> However, he isn't alone as he originally believed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: My version of Shiro's backstory ain't a fully happy one so please be cautious...
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but life can get busy.
> 
> *Bold Italics come back as quintessence by the way (like Chapter 2)*
> 
> Unfortunately, updates will be slowed down because of my busy life :(
> 
> Hope you guys like this chapter and please let me know what you think!

“It’s time for you to realize your real potential” was the last thing Haggar spoke to him before leaving him alone in his now-temporary cell.

Shiro was still reeling the events that have happened to him over the past few hours. It all seemed like a rush, a blazing fire. It seemed to go on and on, repeating till it’s end, only for it to fire back up again. The heat of the moment has forever scorched his once-again altered reality.

The confrontation with Haggar.

Her unsettling truths.

The whispers in his head.

Then - The lightning.

The quintessential magic felt foreign to him, especially when he was the source of the power itself. He never got to see the appearance of the magic when it manifested in front of him, the event itself was too sudden, too fast, too rash for his brain to comprehend. Haggar left him alone to ‘rot’ in his cell, it was paining him that she could have helped him discover this new side to him but she wouldn’t do so. He put the pieces together.

Torture, for his nuances he's responsible for in her past.

This was a form of torturous revenge.

To let him suffer through this.

Alone.

He has heard of her Druid training techniques. Haggar’s trials for learning quintessence are harsh, ‘blood thirsty’ and in high expectations. Many of her Druids suffered many scars from the torment of her teachings. All Druids have lost blood, the many red stains on her training grounds prove it so when he was being taken to his cell after meeting with Lotor, the new Galra heir.

 _Oh course she would have areas for Druid training_ , Shiro thought to himself.

**_Many Druids would have to start their magic training from somewhere._ **

_Who said that?_

The little whispers in his head from earlier appeared again, it’s presence feeling awfully familiar from his painful experience with Haggar. He had heard these voices most of his life, the most important parts of his life. Therapists would cast these off as his conscience, saying that it was nothing too serious or special.

But Shiro believed otherwise.

These voices would appear in his head at the parts of his life when he was at an emotion’s high or when he needed comfort. They were always there.

The happiness he experienced when hanging with his twin brother Ryuo throughout most of his life. The feeling of content and the warmth of home when he looked at the stars that shone above his star-gazing form.

The absolute delight of meeting fellow Military friends of his father, due to his job as a Marine.

The excitement he had when he was accepted to the Galaxy Garrison when he was 16.

The exhilaration when he was assigned to fighter piolet status. The sadness he relished in when his parents were murdered at age 17. 

The adrenaline rush he faced before meeting the rest of his Garrison team. The bliss of finishing the simulations with 100% scores, yet again he was faced with many of them till he was 20.

The bliss when concluding his experience with the Garrison program, as he was the youngest piolet cadet ever to graduate.

The glee when meeting Dr. Holt and his family after he received word about the Kerberos Mission (as well at Gunther).

The sheer terror when they were abducted by Galra. The fear when Dr. Holt was being dragged away from him and a screaming Matt.

Shiro slicing Matt’s leg so he would be reunited with his father at a work camp. The gladiator fight with Myzax. His escape from the Galra. Finding the Blue Lion. Arriving on Arus. Waking up Allura and Coran. The Robeast battles. Forming Voltron. Bonding with the Black Lion. The rescue missions. The Blade of Marmora. The astral-plane fight with Zarkon. Slav (the voices were just as angry as he was). The final battle. Being recaptured.

The voices were ALWAYS there.

But why?

**_Because we are all around and through you. We are the life-force for all things. We are quintessence._ **

“What?!” Shiro quickly silenced himself after his unintentional shout. His cell was empty, but he didn’t help but feel stupid for belting out.

_**It’s alright Shiro, you are safe. Haggar cannot listen to us, because she lacks the ability to do so. We can help you, we can teach you. You are already showing great progress.** _

_Great progress? How?_

**_Because after your encounter with the witch, you still remain collected. Many others start descending to madness after encountering Haggar. You are strong Shiro and we can help._ **

_Help how? With what?_

_**We can help teach you the ways of bending quintessence to your will. You bear the rare gift to hear and communicate with us. You are not alone Shiro.** _

Shiro considers, thinking of this…unexpected discussion. He couldn’t really say no to the whole ‘help you master your powers’ ordeal because he really wants to explore this foreign side to him.

His alien side.

His Altean heritage.

He will be taught how to use these abilities, even though he will be ‘teaching himself’ – in a way. He will use these ‘powers’ to aid him in his escape and to battle against Haggar is required.

He needs to see his team; he needs to see if Allura was still alive. His last memory of her was her shrilling scream, trembling him deeply as he cried out her name when he saw the Castle under attack of their own energy beam.

He will make the Galra pay.

The Black Paladin mantel probably won’t be his anymore, but that won’t stop him. He is Takashi Shirogane, a man who has suffered and survived, and he doesn’t plan to stop now.

He will escape –

Or he will die trying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo................... this chapter kinda sucked :\

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think in the comments. Feedback would be appreciated :)


End file.
